Former Vice-President Kamala Harris stopped in Jackson Wednesday during the second leg of her national book tour. The tour is promoting Harris’s book “107 Days,” which chronicles her 2024 presidential campaign.
A line formed outside of Jackson’s Thalia Mara hall three hours before the event was due to begin. The venue has a capacity of 2,040. Once the auditorium doors opened, only a few empty seats remained.
Shamira Muhammad
Former VP Kamala Harris makes book tour stop in Jackson
Shamira Muhammad, MPB News
Shamira Muhammad, MPB News
Jackson Mayor John Horhn presented Harris with a key to the city.
Comedian Rita Brent moderated a wide-ranging conversation with the former vice-president, which touched on the importance of local elections, Jackson’s potholes and the grief she experienced after her presidential loss.
“I had no words except to say over and over again, my God, my God, my God,” Harris said.
She said she predicted many policies adopted by the Trump administration during much of her campaign, but she “did not predict the capitulation” she believes is coming from other political leaders.
Harris told the predominantly Black audience that voters should not be voting “out of a moral responsibility to vote” due to the historic challenges encountered by activists within the community. Instead, she said voters should be “transactional” in their relationships with party candidates.
“It’s ok to have expectations,” she said.
Harris said she included the city in her tour because “America’s history was made in Jackson.” She gave recognition to students from Tougaloo College, the family of Medgar Evers and local political leaders.
The event left Heather Ragsdale feeling empowered.
“We matter, you know, and she knows we matter and she made that clear in everything that she said,” she said. “You cannot lead a country without coming to the South and she made that very clear.”
Corey Chapman, a 19-year-old Jackson State University student, said he decided to attend the event with his mother and appreciated Harris’s opinions on making change at a local level.
“She was like, sometimes the fight takes a while,” he said. “That's very important, especially with what we go through here in Jackson.”
During a Q&A with audience members, Penelope Beale, who is the president of her sixth-grade class, asked Harris for advice on becoming a good leader.
“You have to remember that when you put yourself out there and lead, there are going to be so many people who are going to encourage that,” Harris said, going on to tell Beale to listen to the people she represents.
“It was inspiring because I got to hear Kamala in person,” said eight-year-old Ari-Elle. “I've only seen her in photos on Google.”
Ari-Elle said she was impressed with Harris’s decision to visit Jackson.
“It was very interesting, because out of all the cities in the U.S., she decided to come here,” she said.
Harris’s tour continues today in Memphis.